When was the last time you cleaned out your computer? You may not know it but the second Monday of February each year is National Clean Out Your Computer Day.

Having unorganized files on your computer or mobile device is the equivalent of having a messy stack of papers on your desk. Can you easily find what you need?

It may seem like a silly thing to mark with a holiday and an even sillier holiday for your bank to observe but we think it’s very timely. In this age of technology where so much of what we do for work, play and life in general relies on our devices, it’s a good idea to maintain that equipment just like you would change the oil in your car or clean your house.

Think about, not just your computer, but your tablet and phone as well. How much content do you have stored on those devices and how much is unnecessary or difficult to find?

Take a look at the files, programs and apps on your device. Do you still play that Angry Birds game on your phone? Have you ever used the calorie counting app you downloaded on the first day of your diet? No? Delete them. Unused and useless apps and programs eat up a lot of space and clutter up your screen.

Take a closer look at your files. Are you holding on to files that you will never use again? Do you have duplicate files? Do you have junk files or empty folders? This is a good time to get rid of all that stuff. The more content you have, the harder it is to find what you need.

While you’re at it, consider the organization system you have for all that stuff. Can you find what you need? Is it organized into folders or just thrown into one big folder? Take a few minutes to sort all that stuff into a system that makes sense.

A word of caution: Remember to safeguard the things you love and need. Invest in a back-up system of some kind to store treasured family photos or important documents. A back-up device or even storing content in the cloud will save you a lot of heartache if your device crashes or if it is lost for some reason.

When you’re done, clean the exterior of your phone, tablet or computer and you’ll feel like you have a completely new device!

We know you’re busy but take a moment today to do a little cleaning. You’ll be glad you did!